Mayor of Houston Unveils The Bashar and Brigitte Kalai Plaza of Respect

More than 200 people from various faiths and ethnicities along with the Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner gathered on a gorgeous sunny day on April 2, 2019 to unveil the Bashar and Brigitte Kalai Plaza Of Respect in the heart of Midtown.

Plaza Ribbon Cutting

Interfaith Ministries (IM) Board of Directors Chair Shaukat Zakaria and Immediate Past Chair Paula Sutton welcomed guests and introduced City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. Turner thanked IM and its supporters for creating a place to celebrate the city’s rich diversity and to educate the community about the many faiths in Houston. IM CEO Martin B. Cominsky then addressed guests and thanked the Kalai’s for making the Plaza of Respect possible as a symbol of the heart of Houston in the heart of Houston that will host and bring diverse groups together to foster respect, dialogue and service. He also recognized the major sponsors who were instrumental in making the Plaza possible specifically Brigitte and Bashar Kalai, Patti and Richard Everett, the Clark and Charlene Thompson Foundation, and Shell.

In summer 2013, Interfaith Ministries took a bold step into the future when it moved from its previous offices and made its new home in the heart of Midtown at 3303 Main Street. IMGH’s location has the following entities located within a 3 mile-radius: The Museum District, Rice University, the Texas Medical Center, downtown Houston, Minute Maid Park, the Toyota Center, the George R. Brown Convention Center, and key institutions such as the University of St. Thomas, University of Houston, and Texas Southern University. Major bus and light rail lines cross within a block of the building.

IMGH sought not only to be convenient and strategically placed, but also to be a heartbeat of the city as well, a symbol of service and faith, that people who may not believe alike or think alike can love alike, that these differences can be a source of strength.

And now, what was once a plain and serviceable patio has become a beacon of hope, a beautiful space dedicated to learning, dialogue, and community. This is the Bashar and Brigitte Kalai Plaza of Respect. “The Plaza Of Respect stands for the next generation to hear their stories being inspired by the hard work and dedication and to learn about their faith and the faiths of others, and to encourage and challenge the wisdom of the crowd,” shares Bashar.

Bashar and Brigitte Kalai are the principal donors for the Bashar and Brigitte Kalai Plaza of Respect. A successful businessman, prominent philanthropist, and member of Houston’s Muslim community, the Kalai’s saw in the Plaza a worthy project of tile and stone, of glass and metal, and of inspiration and dedication. The Plaza was initially designed by Gensler’s Ryan Marchesi and Kristopher Stuart, and generously completed by PBK Architects.

Photos By Quy Tran